The reluctant quest of Petal and Prongs
by Xandua
Summary: Set in the sixth year, Lily and James undertake a quest to get Sirius's birthday present. Mild fluff, some swearing... JILY!
1. Through the rabbit hole

**AN:** I own nothing and all that jazz, apart from the plot. This is going to be a not-so-long one, 3 or 4 chapters max, depending on reviews and such like. So if you do like it then please let me know and I will do my best to keep you entertained.

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_Autumn 1977_

"Where do you think you're going Potter?" Lily Evans in all her glory stood right behind him, leaning against a parapet in the orange gloom.

"Out" He flashed her his most charming smile. She looked bemused and beautiful in the flickering half light.

James stood, marauders map in hand at the entrance to the tunnel to Hogsmeade, the entrance that was appearing before him, twisting rock revealing his escape route.

"I suppose I'm going to have to stop you then." Her voice held a ferocious edge that James had come to fear, but only a hint, he had time to flirt before she went all prefect-like and tried to make him adhere to some stupid curfew.

"I'd like to see you try..." He took a step away from witch statue. Closer to her. She didn't seem to notice, but her fresh apple scent lingered in his nose.

"Where's the rest of you motley crew?" Lily was convinced the marauders were so inseparable they had to accompany one another to the toilet. When she had voiced her theory to her friends, Marlene had given her the unfortunate image of Potter, Black and Lupin sharing a cubicle.

"In bed?" James voiced it like a question, but he knew for sure. He checked the map just be sure. "Yep, bed."

Lily raised a sceptical eyebrow that James did not see. His eye had been caught by a dot on his parchment, a worryingly named dot. That night he had been watching more than one pair of feet traipse around the grounds, the first was Lily Evans, obviously, another was heading towards them at an alarming pace.

Twenty seconds tops.

"Hate to cut this short Evans-" He took her arm, close enough to share breath, shocked them both"- but are you in or out?"

"Er"

Lily's indecision was wasting precious seconds. In that one moment James moved without thinking, he took two steps, pulling Lily with him and flung the pair of them down into the tunnel.

* * *

They landed with an oopf, a mass of appendages and an awkward tangling of limbs. It was very dark, the air held a tint of mustiness and a good helping of tension. Not to mention confusion.

James unexpectedly found Lily Evans in his arms in the dark, he couldn't suppress a smile.

Lily found herself entwined in the dark with someone she could tell she was beaming. They didn't move. It was a tiny eternity.

"Er Snaps, as much as fun as this is-" James wriggled, cursed himself for it, Lily felt the colour rise in her cheeks "-I actually have somewhere to be..." He manoeuvred her up, off him, heard her spluttering with indignation. Once released, she made an effort to stand, dusted herself off, not all too pleased with the turn of events.

"Which is where exactly?" She squinted in the murky light of what seemed to be a tunnel carved from mud and rock.

"What?" James had turned away, towards the mouth of the tunnel, he half-turned back pulling a hand through his hair

"Where are you going?" Lily gestured at the tunnel "Where does this go?" Then more to herself than to anyone else "How did I not know about it?" She shook her head and refocused on her kidnapper "Answers! Pronto, or I'm going back up there and I'm going to have a fascinating conversation with whoever you are avoiding so drastically you practically threw me down a hole."

"Authoritative, I like it..." The look he received meant Lily was having none of it, so obviously he continued... "I'm on a mission Evans, Top Secret shit!" He was being purposely obstructive and vague, Lily noted. "A mission that requires the utmost discretion, wit," he paused for effect "not to mention bravery, cunning, impeccable abdominals, a smile to die for..." he danced his eyebrows suggestively in Lily's direction.

"And yet you were chosen for it?..." Lily smirked. James feigned insult, hand to heart.

"Rude." There was a beat of silence, in which James checked his map and Lily rolled her eyes. "Anyway Evans, this has been fun." The coast was clear. "But I must be off, its safe to go back now if you want..." He trailed off because he was unsure as to whether or not he should invite her along, she would almost certainly disprove.

"Go back?" She snorted derisively, " I'm not just letting you sneak out, Potter." His name harshly echoed off the walls.

"Me sneak out? Never!" James took no offence.

"I'm not stupid."

"I know that, Petal" The nickname made her cringe. "But really.." He took two steps down the tunnel.

"There's no chance of me convincing you not to, is there?" James shook his head stubbornly. "Fine." The finality shot his eyebrows halfway up his forehead, she folded her arms resolutely at her chest. A few strands of fiery hair caught on her sleeve. "I'll just have to come with you then." James smiled, just for a second.

"Come on then..."

He was definitely a bad influence, Lily mused, as she walked off into the dank unknown of the tunnel with James Potter.

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**AN:** I hope you liked it, can you guess where they are going or what they are going to get?


	2. Up and Out

**AN: **Another short one I'm afraid, but it's exam time and I keep distracting myself...

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They stood under a hatch to God-know-where.

The steady drip of subterranean water leaking into the tunnel sounded like a beat. Lily almost felt compelled to tap along but James, a bony finger to his lips was clearly listening hard, for something.

A sign of life on the other side of the the hatch, maybe? Wherever it lead.

Lily still didn't know, she had tried to ask James as they had gotten closer to the end of the tunnel. But, to her annoyance, he had hushed her.

When it was safe to speak she was going to let him have it.

"Last chance to turn back Evans..." He whispered into the gloom at the silently sulking witch. Even in the half light her saw her raise one sceptical eyebrow.

"You wish Potter!" She hissed.

"You're just so sexy when you're angry." He noted wryly, only a hint of sarcasm bounced off the tunnel walls.

Taking her scowl as a sign to proceed James opened the hatch above his head and began climbing the short ladder into the cellar of Honeydukes.

Lily did her best not to look at James Potter ascending the ladder but was presented with a not unpleasant view as he did. She tilted her head just slightly to get a better angle, a few ginger strands fell in front of her face.

"Admiring the view?" James quipped.

Lily flushed and pushed her hair out of her eyes. She rolled her eyes, questioned her sanity and hurriedly pulled herself up the ladder.

In her haste to avoid both eye contact and a smug look Lily made quite a bit of noise. Scrapes of indignation and a clatter of embarrassment. James made hurried signals for her to be quiet.

If she had been looking at him she would have seen them. But she was not. The flurry of panic that James's hands had descended into finally caught her bashful eyes.

"What?" She mouthed.

A creak above their heads. Lily's eyes widened, she looked like a deer in the headlights.

James quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her up the stairs to the shop floor. As they clattered up the stairs Lily drew her wand and, with a flick, closed the hatch they had just emerged from.

James, who was two steps ahead, smiled lightly at her quick thinking but the admiration was never seen.

The pair sprinted out of the shop. The bell on the door rattling as they rushed out into the almost deserted streets.

* * *

They did not have time to catch breath, someone had surely heard them. So they ran, pelted over cobblestones.

Whipped round corners, Lily's cloak trailing behind her. Dashed down tiny alleyways and past boarded up shops. Their steps echoing harshly around them. Pursued by their own footfalls.

They dashed through Hogsmeade as if they were being chased by death itself. Hand in hand.

Finally stopping behind the Three Broomsticks. The doorway threw a rectangle of orange-gold onto the flagstones. The rumbling and clattering from within was that of raucous nights, bar fights and Butterbeer.

Lily sucked in cold beautiful air, she was not as fit as her accomplice. But he too was gasping for breath.

Their hands were still entwined. Lily pulled away. She leant against the cool brick wall and tried to calm her heart, it was racing still. James straightened himself, dusted his clothes, re-ruffled his hair and grinned crookedly.

"That went better than expected." He nodded, as if pleased with the turn of events. Secretly he was, because for a few glorious minutes Lily Evans had been running, with him.

"That did!" Lily gasped in breath, "Agrippa's sake Potter, I think you're going to be the death of me!"

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**AN: **So yeah, do tell me what you think, reviews are golden...


	3. Onwards and upwards

**AN:** Short again, sorry. I have exams at the moment but I will probably upload again soon. Enjoy

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James smiled at his accomplice.

In an alley behind the Three Broomsticks he studied her in the faint gold light. Her face was glowing and her soft features were accentuated by shadows, she looked like a fire goddess. Lily Evans, he mused, must be the most beautiful witch that he had ever seen.

"Are you going to keep staring Potter, or are you going to tell me what, exactly, you are dragging me into?!" Her tongue lashed at him, he shook his head and held out his hand.

"Its top secret, last chance to turn back." He offered jokingly. In the light, Lily noticed, his features seemed more prominent, more defined. The stark contrast of light and dark fit his personality and she began to question his motives. Not to mention her sanity.

"You said that before." She tilted her messy head with a half amused expression playing across her face. "But seriously, James..."

The use of his first name and her tone made James aware of his situation and what he was dragging her into.

"Sorry," his expression softened "I'm getting Sirius's birthday present. It kinda has to be something special, he's had a rough year and he's turning 18 and..."

He trailed off, the both knew how rough the year had been, the war was getting worse, Sirius had been kicked out of his house and the realisation that this was their final year at Hogwarts was starting to weigh on them.

"Oh," Lily was taken aback at his sentiment, but suddenly she was worried that her night was going to get a whole lot longer. "So, where are we going?"

"Errr," James scratched the back of his neck self-consciously "America."

"WHAT!?" Lily's eyes grew wide.

"Yeah..." He rearranged his hair "I told you to turn back." He watched the witch shake her head disbelievingly,"Seriously!" He gestured around the ally "this is your last chance to turn back. If you don't want to get into trouble or anything, don't come!"

Lily was silent for a minute, her mind calculating and her heart faltering. She could go back to the castle, to safety and a minimal amount if detention and leave James to go to America by himself. America! She could stun James and bring him back with her; by force. Or she could go with him to America and ensure that he made it back in time for breakfast. She didn't fancy her chances either way, so she let her hand to the talking.

James felt her soft hand in his and felt the grip in his heart release a little. He smiled, a raw smile in the dramatic light.

"America it is then..."

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**AN: **More soon...


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